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We’ve been working for a while on this new wifi shield for Arduino that is quite different from what you can find already on the market. Instead of just getting the usual pre-made module we decided to build a product that would encourage hacking and modifications so we decided to use an AVR32 processor running an open source version of TCP/IP and the WIFI software stack. The Arduino communicates over SPI with the AVR32 and this in turn controls the WIFI module, an HDG104 from H&D Wireless. Following the Arduino tradition the full software stack running on the AVR32 is released as open source as well as the Arduino library that controls the shield.

Having the full source for the software stack allows adding more complex protocols directly on the AVR32 without using the limited code space of the atmega328 on the Arduino. On top of this, skilled C developers can re-program the shield to operate as a standalone device without the need of an Arduino connected to it. Since we expect that there will be amazing new features created by the community we made updating its firmware very easy, just connect a usb cable to the shield. We believe this opens up to a lot of hacking potential.

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John, I love Arduino as much as the next carbon based life form, but I think you and I have different definitions of word sexy… :)

http://gravatar.com/mchrisb003 mchrisb003

Not sexy at all. My production board has a green jumper on it and the ICSP header is crooked. Make did not show the backside of this board which is where it is fugly. Look at the picture on the Arduino site and you will see what I am talking about.

I feel kind of cheated having paid $85+ for this kind of quality. I figured the picture on Arduino’s website was a pre-production board – not a disclaimer of what I should expect to receive.

Come on Arduino. We have been waiting this long. You could have put it off a little longer to fix these things.

Alec

@mchrisb003…care to offer a link to what you found on Arduino’s site? The sales pitch sounds enticing, however I don’t want to have to sift through the entire site to confirm what you have surmised.